Washington state limits exemptions for measles vaccine

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a measure removing parents’ ability to claim a personal or philosophical exemption for their children from receiving the combined measles, mumps, rubella vaccine before attending a day care center or school.

The state has seen more than 70 cases of measles this year, and Inslee signed the bill Friday at Vancouver City Hill, in the county where most of those cases were centered.

Washington is among 17 states that allow some type of non-medical vaccine exemption for personal or philosophical beliefs for children attending day care centers or school. In addition, medical and religious exemptions exist for attendance at the state’s public or private schools or licensed day-care centers. Medical and religious exemptions remain in place under the measure passed by the Legislature last month.